Mere hours after actor Shefali Jariwala — of the Kaanta Laga fame — and her husband Parag Tyagi organised a Satyanarayan pooja at their Oshiwara home on Friday, the city was shocked to hear of her death later that night. At the pooja, which was attended by all their family members, the actor was seen not to have any health issues, sources said.
On Saturday, while talking to the police, the family did not raise any suspicions of foul play, the sources said. Jariwala, who rose to fame after her appearance in the popular Kaanta Laga music video, was also a participant in the reality TV show Bigg Boss (season 13). Initial reports stated that she died of cardiac arrest. Preliminary statements of her husband recorded by the police hinted that she had been undergoing anti-ageing treatment for a while and was on medication. The statement was attached to the other papers, including the police panchnama, sent to the autopsy centre with the body.
Jariwala’s mother in mourning while her son-in-law
Jariwala, who resided in the Golden Rays Building in Andheri West, was taken to Bellevue Multi-speciality Hospital in Andheri late on Friday. She was then referred to Cooper Hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival. The hospital promptly informed the Amboli Police about her demise.
Autopsy inconclusive
On Saturday afternoon, a five-member team of forensic surgeons and a forensic pathologist from the RN Cooper Postmortem Centre and HBT Medical College conducted a two-hour-long autopsy on the mortal remains of model-turned-actor Shefali Jariwala.
Shefali Jariwala died on Friday night aged just 42. Pic/PTI
“We have preserved the viscera samples for forensic analysis to determine the exact cause of death. A preliminary report has been issued mentioning ‘opinion reserved’,” said a hospital source. “The viscera sample will be sent to the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory [FSL], Kalina, for microscopic analysis, and to rule out any drug reactions, apart from other findings. Only after receiving the FSL report will the Cooper forensic team issue a final cause of death,” a source stated.
When asked whether any injury marks were found on the body, the source responded in the negative.
‘Sensitive case’
Police sources told this paper that considering the fallout of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death in 2020, they are following all procedures to prevent any controversy.
Given the high-profile nature of the case, the Amboli Police arranged for videography and still photography of the entire autopsy. A mobile forensic analysis team also visited the actor’s residence on Friday night to search for any potential forensic evidence. As of now, the Amboli Police have registered an accidental death report (ADR) under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.
The actor’s last rites on Saturday evening were attended by her colleagues and Bigg Boss co-participants. A family friend told Sunday mid-day, “It [Her demise] was very shocking news. She was just 42; people are not supposed to die so young. It’s so unfair.”
